By Jacob Onofrio
Sunday morning, four teams of law enforcement officers from all over the world took part in the Dana Point leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, a grass-roots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle dedicated to raising awareness for the Special Olympics and World Summer Games.
Each team of officers was led by one Special Olympics competitor as they made their way from the Dana Point Community Center to Doheny State Beach Park where a ceremony was held to honor the athletes. A crowd of spectators gathered in support of the runners and Mayor Carlos Olvera presented a special city award to Graziano Carrozzo, a 50-year-old Special Olympics competitor from Italy.
“The power of sports is just amazing,” Team Captain John Newnan said. “These are amazing individuals who have many gifts and talents that, prior to involvement with Special Olympics, often times go unrecognized. This gives [the athletes] the opportunity to build a lot of skills they wouldn’t have otherwise.”
The Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg will make various scheduled stops in both Orange and Los Angeles counties and conclude with a final stop in Santa Monica on July 24.
For more information about the organization, teams, and athletes visit letr-finalleg.org
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